The Space Shuttle Transportation System being developed by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration for the 1980's will provide man new opportunities for exploitation of space. The capability to economically place large payloads in orbit offers the chance to perform space missions that previously were impractical. Projects presently under consideration include such items as extremely large antenna for communications or earth surveillance, space based manufacturing facilities and solar power stations for converting and transmitting collected solar energy to earth. These missions are characterized by structures which have large areas even by earth standards. The prospect of orbiting such structures provides unparalleled challenges for developing extremely efficient structural concepts. The success of these missions will also depend on the success of the structural designer in developing new and unique ways to fabricate and assemble large structures.
Although the Space Shuttle represents an improvement in orbital payload capability, it is also limited to an anticipated payload of sixty-five thousand pounds and a cargo bay fifteen feet in diameter and sixty feet in length. Realistically, any mission involving large structures or technology development in space in the near future must be accomplished via Space Shuttle. It is therefore advantageous to develop efficient structural concepts to minimize the total mass which must be orbited and for maximum utilization of the cargo bay area to permit weight critical payloads for Space Shuttle to be achieved and minimize the total number of flights required.
One space structure that has been considered appropriate for such missions is a three-dimensional truss network which may be in the kilometer size in two directions. Such a structural grid system would be an assemblage of highly efficient compression members such as cylinders or truss columns. These compression members must also be compatible with the Shuttle packaging constraints.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and novel structural column having a high packing density that provides maximum utilization of the Space Shuttle payload area.
Another object of the present invention is a novel lightweight truss structure that may be assembled with a minimum of effort and in a weightless environment.
A further object of the present invention is to provide half-length structural columns that may be packaged and transported in a nested relationship and wherein any two half-lengths are connectible to form a column in a truss structure.
An additional object of the present invention is to provide novel lock-joint end fittings on half-length structural column bodies that permit easy attachment of any two half-length bodies.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel low density composite structural column tapering from a large end to a smaller end of essentially one-half the diameter of the large end.
Another object of the present invention is a novel attachment fitting for a structural column to facilitate attachment of adjacent structural columns into a unitary body with a minimum of effort.